


Ben and Rey

by SnakeChase



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Adam Driver - Freeform, Daisy Ridley - Freeform, F/M, Forbidden Love, Reylo - Freeform, Star Wars - Freeform, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-02-24 06:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13208130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnakeChase/pseuds/SnakeChase
Summary: Ben Solo/Kylo Ren and Rey find themselves connected by the Force. Are they enemies, or do they have the potential to work together? Is the Force the only thing that connects them, or is there more? Watch their relationship grow and fluctuate in "Ben and Rey."Warning: spoiler for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. There will be plot recap before my original story begins to introduce the characters' relationship.





	1. The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their battle in the snow, their battle with Snoke's guards, and Kylo's offer for Rey to join him in ruling the galaxy.

Their lightsabers slam together.  
“You need a teacher! I can show you the ways of the Force!” Kylo roars. Rey’s grip on her weapon tightens.  
“The Force…” she whispers. She closes her eyes and dips into her own subconscious. She sees darkness and light; she sees violence and peace; she sees regret and hope. She swims into her opponent’s mind, feeling guilt, rage, jealousy, pain. She sees Han Solo’s face. Kylo seems to weaken for a moment, and Rey presses her lightsaber against his, pushing him away so she can run. He swings around, his glowing red lightsaber missing her by a few inches. Their weapons clash together like thunder; then Rey slashes downward, cutting off part of Kylo’s robe. He stumbles, then jabs at her with his saber, missing; she can feel his weakness. She lifts her blue sword, and slices down, feeling it collide with Kylo’s skin. He screams and falls face down in the snow. Rey circles around his body to check if he is still breathing. He rolls over, sweating profusely from the effort, and looks her in the eyes. His anger is as red as the blood dripping from his face. Suddenly, the ground between them begins to shift and crackle, and soon the forest splits into two with a gaping line running down between Rey and her nemesis.  
Rey wakes up in a cold sweat, her heart pounding away. “I’m safe,” she assures herself. “It’s just a memory. He’s gone.” Still, tears begin to roll down her cheeks. She can picture Kylo stabbing Han, and Han’s lifeless body falling through space. He was her only father figure.  
She wipes her tears and peels off her clothes, climbing into the shower. She turns the water on cold, hoping to freeze away her trauma. When she gets out, she wraps herself in a towel and sits on the edge of her bed, trying to relax. After a few deep breaths, she feels better, and changes into a loose white shirt, brown pants, boots, and a scarf around her head. It smells like Jakku. She presses it to her nose and inhales, remembering simpler times. She glances out her window and realizes she has arrived at Ahch-To, where Master Skywalker is hiding. She must try to convince him to join the Resistance again.  
…  
Months go by before Luke begins teaching her, and even then he feels threatened by the power she possesses, worried she will be tempted by the Dark side. But she knows she will use her power for good. There is no one who could turn her, and her loyalty to Finn, BB8, and the rest of her friends is unbreakable. She practices meditation in secret, trying to connect with Leia, Finn, or anyone in the Resistance. Instead, she finds herself alone.  
One day, she is returning to her cave when a cold wave washes over her. The sound of the ocean and the wind fade, and in front of her materializes Kylo Ren. Rey gasps, thinking for a moment that Kylo has found her on the island and is here to finish her off, but his image flickers slightly, and she realizes it is only a vision of him. She feels warmth around him, and cautiously steps closer. His wound from their battle has healed into a long, pink scar.  
“It’s you, the scavenger,” says Kylo. He looks at her with surprise and admiration, not anger. “Why have we been connected?”  
Unsure, Rey searches his face, feels his emotions. “I don’t know. But I can sense your conflict. You regret-“  
“I am loyal to the Supreme Leader. I regret nothing,” interrupts Kylo. “My father was weak and so is my mother. I’m not done with you yet.” While his words are angry, his face remains calm. Rey feels self-conscious, knowing he is watching her.  
“Go away,” she snaps. “I’m not scared of you, but I want you out of my head. You couldn’t take anything from me on your ship and you can’t take anything now. I’m not just a scavenger anymore.” She closes her eyes, and he is gone, his warm aura fading.  
…  
Despite Rey’s efforts to remain hidden, Kylo haunts her thoughts, visiting her on the island through the Force. While it alarms her that he can find her so easily, she soon realizes her own power over him. He can’t see exactly where she is, but he can invade her mind; so can she. The conflict within him wars on; Rey knows he is not entirely loyal to the Dark side as he claims. Their conversations become less combative, and more cooperative. Rey doesn’t tell Luke about them, knowing he would be horrified and would cease her training. One night, as she lights a fire in her cave, she senses Kylo’s presence. She clears her mind and there he is, sitting with her by the fire. He seems more present than ever before. They begin talking, and she reaches out to touch him. Their fingers connect, and suddenly she is swarmed with scenes of Kylo’s past; his successful training with Luke, his loyalty to his teacher and his friends, his loneliness without his parents. He thinks he has made Luke proud, until he wakes up one night to find Luke standing over him with a lightsaber in hand. Petrified, he must battle him, and defends himself with his lightsaber while pulling the roof of his cave down upon Luke’s head. Rey feels his extreme pain, and the overwhelming sense of betrayal. She becomes angry at Luke.  
“He tried to kill you?” she asks Kylo. He nods, and she is shocked by the difference in his face; he is older, wearier, scarred, thanks to her. Suddenly, Luke bursts in.  
“What are you doing?” he screams at the sight of Rey and Kylo touching. Rey breaks their connection and runs after Luke in the rain.  
“Luke!” she begs, shivering as rain slides down her back. “I haven’t done anything wrong! Kylo…he’s conflicted! We can turn him back to the Light side!”  
Luke spins around, halting Rey in her tracks. “Kylo killed Han! He killed his father and my best friend! There is no light within him, he is the one trying to turn you!”  
Rey wipes the water off of her face. “You tried to kill him, Luke! That’s why he’s done all this! And now that there’s a chance to get him back, you won’t take it? You’re a coward! I’ll go after him myself!” She marches back to her cave, where she gathers her few belongings and storms out to find her ship. She sobs, her tears mixing in with the rain.  
…  
Rey stands in the elevator with Kylo, cold and afraid. Her hands are locked in handcuffs, but her feet are free. She turns to Kylo.  
“You don’t have to do this. Just stop all this and free me. Come with me, come home.” She chokes back a lump in her throat, realizing she sounds like Han. Kylo just stares forward, ignoring her. The door opens, and they step out into Snoke’s throne room.  
Rey is terrified, but she tries to remain calm. She won’t let the Supreme Leader see her fear. Kylo walks her to the center of the room before he kneels in front of Snoke’s throne. Rey remains standing.  
“Ah, the girl I have heard so much about,” Snoke growls, sending chills down Rey’s spine. “I knew you were strong with the Force, and Kylo here is strong too. You think your connection was pure accident?” He chuckles. “I was testing Kylo’s loyalty, and he passed. He brought you to me. But I won’t kill you. He will.”  
Rey is frozen in Snoke’s Force fist, and something blocks her from sending Kylo a message. She wants to know what he is thinking. Will he really kill her? Snoke chuckles again.  
“You doubt him, Rey, but I can see it. I can see him killing his worst enemy. He has already made up his mind.”  
Suddenly the lightsaber sitting next to Snoke on the arm of his throne extends, piercing through his side. He looks at Kylo in horror at his betrayal, before his eyes roll back, and his torso falls forward on the ground; he has been sliced in half. Rey gasps, free from Snoke’s grip, and turns to Kylo. “I did what I had to do,” he tells her. They both grab their lightsabers, and fight off Snoke’s guards together. Rey had never felt so alive.  
After all the guards are defeated, Rey starts towards the door. “Let’s go!” she urges Kylo. “There’s still time to end the attack.” But Kylo stands in front of Snoke’s throne, staring at it. Dread sinks into Rey’s stomach.  
“Rey, we don’t have to join the Resistance. You and I have unbelievable power together. Let’s kill the old and embrace the new.” He extends a hand towards her. “Join me.”  
She stares at his hand. Her loyalty to the Resistance begins to falter. She looks into Kylo’s eyes, and feels a stronger connection to him than she ever felt to Finn or Luke. But she shakes her head.  
“I can’t.”


	2. A Mother's Request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia wants to know if Rey can revive Ben Solo, or if Kylo has taken him over completely.

Rey replays the events in her head: Kylo descending to the white and red snow, slicing his lightsaber through the hologram of Luke, her own hands lifting the rocks blocking the escape path of the remaining Resistance. A nurse taps Rey’s arm. “You’re all set, honey. That cut on your arm will heal soon with the stitches we’ve put in.” Rey smiles and thanks her, then gets up and begins walking to her room.  
“Rey!” someone calls. Rey turns around, facing General Leia, who smiles at her. “Could I talk to you in private?” Rey nods, following her. They enter a room full of stacked boxes; it’s just a storage closet. Leia turns to Rey with kindness in her eyes.  
“Rey, I know you have a special connection to my son,” Leia begins slowly. “You’ve seen what he sees, felt what he feels. Am I correct?”  
Rey nods. “Yes. Not so much anymore, but I felt a strong connection with him on Ahch-To. I know what Luke tried to do.”  
Leia sighs. “My brother saw the evil growing in him and made a poor decision. I know you can sense his conflict, but Luke couldn’t. All he saw was power and darkness, a deadly combination. Since you do have such a strong connection to him, I wonder if you could ask him to speak with me. It sounds crazy, but he’s my son.”  
“He killed Han,” Rey argues. Leia raises a hand to silence her.  
“I know. But you sense his regret, and so do I. He was brainwashed by Snoke. Kylo Ren is the one who killed Han. I’m looking to see if Ben Solo is still in there somewhere.” Leia rarely cried, but Rey can sense her severe pain and guilt. They hadn’t given their son enough love as he grew up, and the general wants – needs – to make up for that now. Rey nods, and excuses herself.  
…  
Rey stares at the wall. She lies in a comfortable bed, completely safe, but she is not at peace. She rolls over, flips her pillow, kicks off her socks; nothing works. She can’t sleep. She feels there is more to do. She wants to grab her saber and slice through some bad guys. She wants to see Luke, just one more time. But his death means even his connection to the Force has died. Rey closes her eyes, remembering his words.  
“Reach out,” he whispers. Rey lets her mind relax and blows the clouds of her stormy thoughts away. Her body relaxes in response, and she inhales deeply. She begs herself to sleep.  
Suddenly, her eyes flash open. There’s someone in her room. She sits up and flicks on the light. It’s Kylo Ren. He holds no lightsaber, but Rey still feels threatened.  
“How did you get in here?” Rey snaps. “Are you…really here?”  
Kylo shakes his head. “I’ve been trying to reach you all day. You’ve been stressed, blocking everything out. I couldn’t reach you until now.”  
Rey frowns. “Why have you been trying to reach me? What more do you want? You took Han. You took Luke. Here to kill me too? Or to kill your own mother?”  
Rey feels Kylo’s grief as he listens to her questions, but she doesn’t forgive him. He looks up at her, stoic in face but sorrowful inside.  
“I didn’t kill Luke Skywalker. He did that to himself. He could have saved his energy on Ahch-To and chosen not to face me.”  
“But you wanted to kill him,” Rey counters. “You swung your lightsaber at him; you thought he was really there. He sacrificed himself to spare us. And that’s because of your attack.” Rey’s eyes begin to water. She had lost so much to this dark figure in her room. She wishes he were really there, in person, so she could kill him herself. Instead, she sinks onto her bed. “Are you here to ask for forgiveness? To convince me to join you? I am loyal to the Resistance. I’d rather die than go with you.”  
Kylo looks down. “I thought you saw the real me,” he mutters. “I thought you could see what we could accomplish together. The Resistance is dying.” He steps towards her. “We both know that. The last Skywalker is dead. I have the power now.”  
Rey glares at him. “Luke may be dead, but Leia is still alive. She’s a Skywalker too, and so are you. The Resistance is not dead. Not so long as I am alive. Now get out.”  
Rey stands, as if to fight him, even though she knows she can’t. Kylo searches her face, then extends his hand. “Touch me. I need to show you who I really am.”  
Rey stares at him for a moment, contemplating his offer. Then she shakes her head. “No. Get out of my room, out of my head. Snoke connected us on purpose; we are not meant to talk like this. You are my worst enemy. I will never have sympathy for you. I watched you commit murder with that same hand you extend to me. I don’t need to know who you really are, I know already. You’re an evil monster.” Rey closes her eyes, and blocks Kylo’s signal. He disappears.  
…  
“Well, Rey? Have you spoken to my son?” asks Leia. Rey swallows.  
“No, I haven’t,” she lies. “Leia, I don’t think Ben Solo is still alive. You’ve seen what Kylo has done. He is evil, through and through. I’m sorry.” Before Leia can answer, Rey quickly strides away. She knows she has crushed Leia’s hope, and she doesn’t want to look at her face.  
…  
Rey cannot sleep again. She tosses and turns, paces her room, and practices with her lightsaber. Nothing works. When she tries meditating, Kylo invades her thoughts again, appearing in her room. Rey groans, and tries to open her bedroom door to leave, but Kylo presses his hand against the door, blocking it. His connection with the Force is impressively strong, and Rey shivers. She keeps her hand on the doorknob, facing the door. He stands behind her, his hand above her head. She can feel his breath on her neck.  
“Are you here?” she whispers. “I can feel your breath. How did you get in here?” Rey begins to panic. Kylo chuckles.  
“I’m not really in your room. But I’ve been meditating like you. I’ve gotten much better at this,” he taunts. Rey spins around to face him.  
“Let me go. Why must you torment me like this? I’ve seen enough of you. I told you yesterday.” Kylo just laughs at her. Angrier than ever, she closes her eyes, reaches out, and slaps him across the face. She feels her palm collide with his face. “I’ve gotten better too,” she tells him. He stares at her in shock, then confusion.  
“If you can truly touch me, why not kill me?” he asks. Rey sighs.  
“Your mother. She wants to speak with you. She thinks Ben Solo is still alive in there. I know he’s not, but she’ll be furious if I kill you.” Rey spits in his face, then crawls into bed. “Go away now. I am trying to sleep.”  
Kylo wipes his cheep and steps toward her. “I know you’ve been trying to sleep. I know you can’t. I can help you.” He walks closer to her, then sits by her on the bed. Rey doesn’t stop him, but she refuses to look at him. She then gasps as Kylo places his hand on her back and slides it over to her stomach. He presses his fingers into her abdomen. Rey doesn’t move.  
“When you breathe, breath here. Your stomach holds a lot of your tension. Let those muscles relax,” Kylo tells her.  
Rey breathes in shakily, allowing her stomach to swell with each breath. Kylo’s giant hand presses harder into her midsection.  
“Good. Keep doing that and you’ll fall asleep much easier.”  
Rey stares at the wall but speaks to Kylo. “Ben Solo isn’t dead, is he? I can feel him in there.” She inhales nervously. “He really is still alive. Leia was right.”  
A moment passes, with Kylo’s hand on Rey’s stomach and silence lingering in the air. It’s peaceful. Then, Kylo disappears.


	3. Ben

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey apologizes to Leia, and tries again to connect with Kylo.

Rey wakes up well-rested, delighted and surprised. Kylo’s advice was working.  
“I should thank him,” Rey thinks. But before she reaches out to find him, she showers, gets dressed, and wanders the halls looking for Leia. She finds her in the command center, observing the holographic galaxy.  
“Leia,” she prompts. Leia looks up. She looks exhausted, but the hope in her eyes has refused to die. Rey takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry for what I said the other day. I was wrong. Ben Solo is alive. I finally reached out to him. I’m going to try to bring him back to you.” Rey and Leia both smile.  
“Thank you,” says Leia. “If anyone can bring him home now, it’s you.”  
…  
It takes all of Rey’s strength to appear on Kylo’s ship; she understands his power now, and why Luke had to use his power sparingly. However, once she can feel her feet on the floor of his command center, she tries his breathing exercises, and is able to relax a little. She sees Kylo staring out of a large window, and she can feel his sadness. She approaches him cautiously, unsure whether to call him “Kylo” or “Ben.”  
“Are you okay?” she asks him. He bows his head and refuses to look at her.  
“What have I become, Rey? What have I done?” he turns his face slightly, and Rey can see tears rolling down his cheeks. She is shocked.  
“I killed my father. I killed my uncle. I betrayed my mother, and the entire Resistance. I killed Snoke too. Everyone who believed in me is dead. Everyone who loved me is dead.” Kylo puts his face in his hands. Rey shakes her head.  
“It’s not over yet, Ben,” Rey promises. “Your mother still loves you despite everything. She sent me here to talk to you. She misses you.”  
“She still loves me?” Ben asks. Rey nods. She can feel a small flame of hope igniting in Ben.  
“Come with me, Ben. Come home. Come fight with us.” Rey steps closer to him, and he turns to face her. He steps towards her as well, and puts out his hands. Rey takes them, and closes her eyes, breathing deeply. The ground disappears from beneath them, the air becomes cool, the sounds of Ben’s ship are silenced. Then, they land on Leia’s ship. Neither of them is an apparition this time; Ben and Rey’s bodies have truly traveled to Leia’s ship. They both open their eyes. Their hands stay together.  
“Ben?” someone whispers. Ben and Rey’s hands disconnect, and they both turn to Leia, who stares at them in shock.  
“Mother,” Ben breathes in disbelief. A moment passes, then they rush together, grabbing each other and embracing. “I’m so sorry, Mother,” Ben sobs. “I’m home now. I’ll never leave you again. If I could bring Father back, I would.”  
Leia presses her son to her chest. “I’m sorry too, my darling. I’m sorry we didn’t love you enough when you were so young. I knew you’d come home to me one day. I’ll take care of you now. You don’t have to be so alone anymore.”  
Ben buries his face in his mother’s shoulder, then pulls away. “I’m not alone though, Mother. Rey has been helping me. She saw the conflict in me. She saved me from further descent into evil.” Ben smiles at his mother, who turns to Rey.  
“Thank you, Rey. I owe you so much happiness,” Leia tells Rey. Then she pulls her son into another tight hug, and Rey leaves back to her room to allow them a private, long-overdue reunion.  
…  
Rey feels Ben’s presence as he enters her room. Normally, she would spin around and demand he leaves, but she is happy to see him again. She remains still as Ben wraps his arms around her waist, embracing her from behind. He rests his forehead on the back of her head. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he whispers into her hair. Rey closes her eyes and cherishes the moment, feeling Ben’s soft breaths in her tight bun and his thick arms wrapped around her midsection. She slowly turns around so her hands lie on Ben’s chest and her face tilts up towards his.  
“Thank you for coming home,” she whispers back. They look at each other for a moment, observing each other’s faces. Then Ben gently presses his lips against Rey’s forehead. Rey closes her eyes again, savoring his touch. They stay like this for some time. Then Ben nuzzles her forehead and steps away, returning to his own room. Rey crawls into bed, thinking about Ben for hours before she can fall asleep.


	4. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia's ship is under attack! Suspicious, Rey orders Ben's arrest.

Rey splashes cold water on her face and looks at herself in the mirror. She looks so different from her days back in Jakku; older, wiser, but more alive. Suddenly, something goes CRASH on Rey’s window. She whips around to see her window is cracked. She grabs her lightsaber and waits. Another CRASH. It’s a bullet from a nearby ship. It’s small, but Rey recognizes it; it’s Captain Phasma’s ship, The Supremacy. “She’s alive?” Rey wonders. But no; Rey notices someone else captaining her ship: it’s General Hux. “How did he find us?” ponders Rey. There’s only one possible way: Ben told them.  
Rey runs down the hall to the nearest loudspeaker, where she announces that the ship is being attacked. “We need half of our soldiers to stay on the ship, and half of them in pods to attack The Supremacy. Find Ben Solo and lock him up.” Leia had told her that was the emergency plan. Rey tries not to cry at Ben’s betrayal, and climbs into a nearby pod. She departs from the ship, and makes her way towards The Supremacy. She sees her allies follow her in pods. Despite her heartbreak, Rey feels proud that she is leading the attack. She presses the microphone of her headset to her lips and orders, “shoot at the weak spots, and make sure to keep moving so he can’t hit you. Don’t be afraid.” The pods start following her orders, aiming for windows and exits while they circle the ship. Rey tries to approach the back of the ship to take out the rockets, but something starts pulling her towards Hux. She looks down, and sees him sweating excessively, his hand outstretched toward her. “He’s the one pulling me in,” Rey realizes. “He can use the Force too.” Soon the front of her pod collides with Hux’s lookout window, and he puts on a suit and steps out of the ship. There, he drives his saber into Rey’s window and draws a circle, which he reaches into. He pulls Rey out despite her best efforts. He throws her to the floor of his command center.  
“Welcome aboard,” he snarls. Rey stumbles to her feet, igniting her lightsaber. “The Supreme Leader underestimated me,” Hux continues. “He didn’t think I could use the Force. But look at me; stronger than even you, his favorite little scavenger.”  
Rey finds her footing, then charges at Hux, swinging her lightsaber. He lifts a hand and holds her midair before throwing her against a wall. She feels it slam into her back, knocking the wind out of her. She struggles to her feet again, shaking. Hux chuckles, and pulls out his own lightsaber. It’s red like Ben’s, but shaped like Rey’s. She grins; she has never lost a lightsaber battle.   
Hux waits for her to charge again, then swings, his saber clashing against hers. He is strong; Rey’s knees begin to bend as he pushes down on her lightsaber. She roars, and pushes him away like she did to Ben. Hux charges, and Rey holds her saber out in front of her, defending herself. Hux jabs her where she is weak, and she falls on her back. He stands over her, laughing. He brings his lightsaber close to her neck, and stomps hard on her hand, knocking her lightsaber out of her grasp. Rey tries to tap into the Force, but the burning coming from Hux’s lightsaber distracts her. “I’m going to die,” she realizes. Hux grins an evil grin.  
Suddenly, there is a loud THUD. Ben has kicked open Hux’s command center door. His lightsaber burns with red light, but he uses just the Force to grab Hux by the back of the neck and drag him closer. Rey sighs in relief, and gets to her feet. Ben turns Hux to face him. Hux chokes, and his grip on his saber loosens. It drops to the floor with a CLANG. Ben grins, then slashes his lightsaber across Hux’s throat, beheading him. His head rolls to the floor, and Ben drops his body. Rey stares in shock.  
“Why did you do that?” she asks him. “I know you brought him here.” Rey turns her saber off, and wipes tears from her face. Hatred strangles her. But Ben shakes his head, and lifts his arm. Then he slowly takes off his robe, and the shirt underneath. There’s a strange bump on his ribs. Ben pulls out a pocket knife, and gently opens his skin there. He pulls out a small, metal box. A tracking device.  
“Hux followed me here, Rey,” Ben tells her. “I would never betray my mother again, nor you. I didn’t notice the device until this morning, and by then he had already reached us. I had to escape the ship to help you, and to avoid being locked up, as you so confidently ordered.” He smiles, and Rey smiles back. “Let’s go home.”  
…  
Ben wanders into the common room, where Rey is snacking. He sits across from her, and lifts his shirt. His cut has been stitched up.  
“Does it hurt?” Rey asks. Ben shakes his head, and takes her hand. She starts, but relaxes her fingers into his warm palm.   
“Rey, our connection through the Force is what told me you were in trouble. I could feel Hux’s lightsaber burning against your throat. If I hadn’t felt that, I wouldn’t have known how urgently you needed me.” He squeezes her hand. “Promise me you’ll never block me out. I need to know if you’re ever in trouble again.” He urges her in a gentle tone, but Rey can feel the panic within him. “I almost lost you today,” he says, looking down at her fingers. Rey squeezes his hand back.   
“I will never block you out. I have nothing to hide anymore. Thank you for saving my life,” she says. She watches Ben smile slightly, and notices a dimple on his cheek. She realizes how long they’ve been holding hands, and blushes. Ben notices too and pulls his hand away to run through his hair. Rey plays with her fork. 

…  
Rey wanders the ship until she finds Ben’s room; Leia is in there, examining his wound. Rey can see Ben reassuring her that he will be fine. Leia nods, and leaves. She jumps when she sees Rey.  
“Rey! I thought you’d be asleep by now. It’s been quite a day, according to Ben.” Leia places a hand on Rey’s shoulder as if to thank her for defending the ship. Rey nods.  
“Your son saved my life,” she tells Leia, who nods like she already knew. Rey thanks Leia, and slips into Ben’s room as Leia walks away. Ben looks up. He is still shirtless from showing Leia his stitches.  
“I could sense you wanted to see me,” he says. “Do you need anything?”  
Rey shakes her head. “No…I just wanted to see you. I don’t know why. How are you feeling?”  
Ben smiles. “Better now that you’re here. But these stitches are itchy. I want to take them out.”  
Rey steps towards him. “You can’t do that until you’re fully healed, Ben.” She helps herself to his bathroom and his medicine cabinet. “Here,” she says, “anti-itch cream. Come here.”  
Ben walks towards her. She puts some cream on her first two fingers, and begins rubbing into Ben’s skin. He becomes startled at how cold the cream is, but relaxes as she rubs it in. He watches her fingers intently. When the cream is all rubbed in, Rey leans forward and places a kiss on his laceration. She looks up at him nervously, unsure if he wanted her kiss.   
He studies her face, then cups a hand under her jaw. He leans down and pulls her face gently towards his. Their lips touch briefly, then again, then again. His lips are dry and thick, hers are thin and wet. She holds his bare torso while they sink into the kiss. They pull away together, silently.   
Rey takes a deep breath. “Goodnight, Ben,” she tells him.   
“Goodnight, Rey,” Ben responds.   
Rey walks out of his room and back into hers. Finally enjoying her privacy, she places her hands around her mouth and squeals very quietly. She grins so largely that it hurts her cheeks.   
“Finally,” she thinks.


	5. The Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben goes missing. Rey is his only hope.

Rey wakes to alarms sounding and lights flashing. She scrambles out of bed in a panic, and races into the hallway. There are several soldiers in the hallway with her, just as confused as she is. Rey squeezes past rows of panicked members of the Resistance to find Leia outside her room in the hallway. She looks the most terrified.  
“Leia, what’s wrong?” Rey asks, grasping the general’s hand.  
“It’s Ben,” says Leia. “He’s been kidnapped.”  
…  
Rey climbs into a fighter jet and straps herself into the pilot’s seat. Her heart is pounding so hard, she feels it might erupt from her chest. She flips on her headset and helmet and taps the microphone.  
“Fighter jets 2, 3, and 4, can you hear me?” she asks. They all answer that they can. “2 and 3, make your way to the East side of the galaxy. Check planets Alderaan and Yavin, and report back to me with any suspicious activity. Do not go on the offensive until I give the okay. Jet 4, follow me.”  
Jets 2 and 3 turn and fly in the opposite direction, while Rey brings Jet 4 with her to Cantonica, the mostly desert planet save for the casino filled with businessmen who sell weapons to the First Order. The planet’s inhabitants are fairly harmless, but if the Hux’s men paid them, they would not stop at hiding a kidnapped member of the Resistance.  
…  
Rey and Jet 4 land on Cantonica just as night falls. To their surprise, they aren’t stopped immediately by the planet’s limited military; in fact, they go almost unnoticed. Rey realizes that whoever kidnapped Ben was expecting an entire fleet of Resistance jets, not two small ones. She orders Jet 4’s pilot to guard the ships and remain prepared for takeoff in case they are noticed, then she climbs down from her jet to look for Leia’s son.  
It isn’t long before she reaches the heavy doors to the casino, where she slips past people and strange creatures wearing monocles and heavy jewelry. She stays alert, knowing the Force will tell her when she gets closer to Ben. She goes up the stairs, then back down, then finds a thin, windowless hallway. Her fingertips twitch, and her stomach turns. She is close.  
Rey runs her hand down one wall of the empty hallway as she walks its length to feel for a door; it’s so dark that she wouldn’t notice one simply by sight. Her fingers bump into a protrusion in the wall; a doorknob. “It’s too easy,” Rey thinks. But what choice does she have? She tries to turn the knob, but it’s locked. Remembering what Finn taught her, she pulls a small coin from her pouch and slides it into the keyhole. She twists it, and the door unlocks with a “click.” Rey turns the knob, opens the door, and enters the dark room.  
As soon as she sets her foot down, the lights click on. Rey gasps; General Hux stands before her. He beckons her closer, and the Force pulls her in, slamming the door behind her.  
“You were decapitated,” Rey snaps. “I watched you die a pathetic death. What is this, a hologram?” Hux chuckles.  
“That wasn’t me that your boyfriend decapitated, but it was pretty convincing, wasn’t it? I’ve been doing a little work with cloning and he was my best project yet. I was sad to see him go, but better him than me.” Hux laughs again. Rey subdues a shudder.  
“How do I know it’s really you this time?” she asks. “How do I know this isn’t a clone as well?”  
Hux grins evilly. “I suppose you don’t. You don’t know anything at the moment, do you Rey? You don’t know where your precious Ben Solo is. You don’t know if I’m really here or not. Although you do know how to pick a lock, which I might add, was mildly impressive.”  
Rey pulls out her lightsaber. “I’m also pretty impressive with a saber, in case you weren’t aware.”  
Hux lifts a hand, and suddenly Rey’s saber is yanked from her grasp. Hux catches it, admiring the blue light.  
“Ah, yes, but without one, Rey, you are nothing but a little Scavenger.” Hux extinguishes the saber, laughing. Rey begins to panic, then closes her eyes.  
“Reach out,” she remembers Luke saying. “Breathe.” He echoes in her head. The atmosphere in the room softens, and the loud hum of Rey’s lightsaber fades. She inhales into her stomach, lifts her hand, and pushes hard. Her eyelids flick open as Hux’s back slams into the wall, the lightsaber falling from his hand. His body goes CLANG against the wall, and he falls forward, dead. Rey grins, and grabs her lightsaber. She begins digging through Hux’s belongings and finds a key marked “001.” She tucks it into her pouch and rushes out into the hallway, where she finds an exit. Outside sits Hux’s black jet. Rey uses the Force to unlock its door and she climbs in. Making her way into the cockpit, Rey finds the pilot seat and opens the navigator. Hux had just come from Polis Massa, where Luke and Leia were born. Rey realizes Hux had influenced her using the Force to come to Cantonica, and that Ben must really be on Polis Massa. According to Hux’s map, it’s overrun by First Order storm troopers. But Rey isn’t worried; they don’t know that it isn’t Hux aboard his own ship. She has the perfect disguise.


	6. Solitary Confinement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay everyone!  
> //  
> Rey sets out to find Ben, determined to bring him home safe, no matter the costs.

A few hours later, Rey arrives on Polis Massa; Hux’s ship wasn’t too difficult to navigate. She lands in an empty airfield and climbs down, knowing she must be careful. Lightsaber tucked in her belt, Rey approaches a nearby building. It’s just a small hut with a young man inside who seems preoccupied with some sort of manual. As Rey gets closer, she notices it’s a manual on how to fix broken jets and ships – he must be training to be a pilot and is working security in the meantime. “He’s not very good at his job,” Rey thinks to herself. She illuminates her lightsaber and kicks open the door. The young man nearly jumps out of his seat. Rey holds the lightsaber to his neck.  
“This is a small planet, news must travel fast. Where are they keeping Ben Solo?”  
The man’s fingers tremble, and he stammers, “In…in Wiyen…taah. He’s…he’s being held in solitary confine…confinement. That’s…that’s all I know.”   
Rey nods, then pierces the young man in the chest. Full of guilt, she watches him die. She knows he would’ve alerted the authorities had she let him live. She hurries back to Hux’s ship, and sets her coordinates for Wiyentaah.   
…  
Her navigating system instructs her to land on top a specific building, so she figures that’s where Hux normally arrives. She carefully guides the ship down, painfully aware that she is landing in a highly populated city with high security. Still, it’s the dead of night, and nobody suspects a traitor could be aboard Hux’s ship. Rey climbs down, leaves the roof, rushes down a long set of stairs, and escapes into the street. It’s eerily quiet. She realizes she has no idea where Ben is being held. Suddenly, someone behind her shouts.  
“Halt! Give me your identification and ship number immediately.” Rey gasps, but pulls herself together, igniting her saber and swinging around. The guard approaching her stops and puts her hands up.   
“Please don’t kill me,” she whimpers. “It’s my first day on the job.”  
Rey swallows her pity. “Take your clothes off,” she orders. The guard obliges. Rey puts the guard’s uniform on, which includes a helmet that obstructs any view of her face; the perfect disguise. The guard stands in front of Rey in her underwear, shivering and crying. Rey sighs.  
“Tell you what,” Rey says. “If you go hide somewhere and tell no one of my arrival here, I’ll let you leave with me. Join the Resistance, meet General Leia! You couldn’t possibly be loyal to these buffoons on your first day.”   
The guard considers her options for a moment, then nods. “Don’t tell anyone those are my clothes. They’ll kill me for not reporting you.” Rey agrees, then asks where Ben Solo is being kept. “In solitary,” the anonymous guard says. “Down this street, make a left. The building has no windows.” Rey thanks her and leaves, hoping she made the right decision.   
…  
The windowless building is tall, casting a shadow over Rey by obstructing the rising sun. She approaches carefully, and upon seeing her uniform, a guard at the door promptly lets her in, no questions asked. “I can’t believe that worked,” Rey thinks. There’s nothing but an elevator on this floor, which Rey boards. She selects the highest level. The elevator shoots up to the tenth floor. The doors open, and she walks out, cautiously. Before her lies a giant room with transparent walls. Inside the room stands Ben. She rushes to the plexiglass.  
“Ben!” she calls. He looks up and she realizes he is being held up by chains attached to the ceiling. He looks exhausted. She rips her helmet off. “It’s me! I’ve come to get you out of here!”

Ben smiles with relief when he sees her, but that soon turns to panic. “You can’t be here, Rey! You’ll get caught, they’ll kill you!” His voice is warped through the glass, but Rey feels so happy to hear it that she takes a second to process his words. Then Ben’s eyes grow large. “Rey, look out!” Rey turns just in time to feel a pair of hands shove her up against the glass. The gloved hands stab a needle in her neck, and she sinks into unconsciousness.


	7. The Decision

Rey wakes up in pieces, blinking in the bright light. She finally opens her eyes all the way and takes in her surroundings. She’s cold, in a small room with dark walls and a white lamp above her. She’s restrained in a chair similar to the one Ben had held her in for her interrogation a long time ago. She struggles against her restraints, but isn’t surprised to find she can’t escape. Zish, the door slides open in front of her. In walks a tall, red-haired woman adorned in black. Her boots clunk against the floor as she approaches Rey.   
“How are you?” asks the woman in black. Her hands are clasped behind her back as she steps closer to the chair. Rey doesn’t answer. The woman smiles.  
“You have no idea who I am, do you?” she says. Chills run up and down Rey’s spine. “You killed my brother, Armitage. Ring a bell?” The woman stops walking and stands at the end of the reclined chair.  
“Armitage…” Rey wonders. Suddenly it dawns on her. “You’re Hux’s sister.” The woman nods.  
“My brother was General Armitage Hux of the First Order. I’m Lieutenant Priscilla Hux.”  
The resemblance suddenly becomes more obvious; her red hair, her blue eyes. Rey’s heart starts to pump harder. While she can’t remember her own family, she has seen from Ben and Leia’s relationship that familial bonds are impenetrably strong. If anyone wants to avenge Hux’s death the most, it is this woman.   
“He never mentioned a sister,” Rey said. The Lieutenant shook her head.  
“He didn’t know I existed. I’m actually more of his half-sister. His mother was a kitchen maid my father slept with once. My mother was my father’s true wife. Armitage was a bastard, but my father wanted a son so badly, he trained both of us as equals. But we were trained separately. My father didn’t want Armitage to feel less wanted or less worthy because he wasn’t a pure Hux, so he kept my existence a secret. Only on his death bed did he tell me about my brother.”  
Rey’s heart sinks. She tries to be tough, but she can’t help feeling sympathy for this woman, who never got the chance to meet her long-lost brother before his death, and Rey is responsible.  
“I’m sorry,” she tells the Lieutenant, who smiles genuinely in appreciation. “What are you going to do to me? To Ben?”  
The Lieutenant sighs. “We’ve decided to allow your army to make that decision. They know we have the two of you held hostage. If they surrender tonight, we’ll let you live.”  
Rey begins shaking. “No, no! You cannot burden them with that decision! Leia would never lose her son again, even for the good of the people. Besides, what will you do to them if they surrender?”  
The Lieutenant’s smile turns cold. “We find those who will join us, who will fight for us, who will make the galaxy great once more. Those who refuse…well, we don’t have room for everyone anyway.”  
“No!” Rey screams. “You monster! The soldiers have children! Brothers, just like you did! You know what that pain feels like, how could you inflict that on them?” The Lieutenant shrugs in indifference. Rey spits at her. She wipes the spit off with a gloved hand, and turns to leave. The doors slide open for her, and then they close.  
…  
“I’ve been in here for hours,” Rey speculates, staring at the ceiling. She’s beginning to think the Rebellion did give up, and that’s why she’s still alive. She closes her eyes, trying not to sob.  
Suddenly, the doors slide open. Rey looks up, expecting the Lieutenant, but it’s a stormtrooper. She frowns.   
“What do you want? Did they really send a stormtrooper to kill me?” she snaps at him. He steps inside, the doors close, and he removes his helmet. Rey gasps; it’s Ben. He smiles at her.  
“Turns out the Force works through Plexiglass. They really should’ve sent more troops to watch me,” he says. He presses several buttons on the chair before one of them finally works, releasing Rey’s restraints. As soon as her arms are free, she throws them around him, and presses her lips to his. He holds her neck and waist gently, surrendering into the kiss. Finally, they break apart.  
Rey smiles. “Let’s get out of here.”


	8. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey are almost free, then they encounter their worst obstacle yet.

Ben puts his stormtrooper uniform back on. They step outside the containment room, Ben’s arm holding onto Rey’s as if she may resist. Rey pretends to tug away occasionally as they walk down the hallway, then a set of stairs. Several stormtroopers and other workers walk past them, suspecting nothing. Then things get difficult.  
“We have to figure out a way to escape without anyone questioning us,” Ben whispers to Rey, muffled by his helmet. Rey ever so slightly nods.   
“Has there been any contact from the Resistance?” Rey whispers. Ben shakes his head.  
“Nothing, which means they at least haven’t surrendered yet. I’ve been trying but I’m unable to use the Force to contact my mother. I hope they wait long enough for our escape.”  
Rey gulps. While they must be careful and quiet, time is a factor. Suddenly, she gets an idea.  
“What about Finn, or Poe? Have you tried reaching them?” she asks. Ben shakes his head again.  
“They’re completely blocked off from me. They still distrust me. Maybe you should try reaching them.”  
“Good idea, but I can’t do it here. Force me into a room.”  
Ben obliges, gently but firmly pushing Rey into a nearby containment pod. He guards the door while she closes her eyes, reaching out to Finn first. She frowns; it’s difficult to connect to him. Finally, an image of him surfaces in her mind, but he can’t see her. Rey gasps; he’s fighting a stormtrooper! The Lieutenant has invaded Resistance territory.  
Rey slips outside. “She lied to them,” she hisses at Ben. “They don’t get to surrender. She just distracted them with the decision making while she sent ships to attack them. We have to go!”  
Ben nods, grabs her arm, and they race down the hallway towards the exit.  
…  
They have to knock out a few people, but fortunately, Ben and Rey make it back onto Hux’s ship without much trouble. Rey starts the engine.   
“Finn is aboard Leia’s ship,” Rey tells Ben. “We’ll head there – it’s far but we’ll make it in time.”  
“I hope my mother is safe. I can’t stand this,” Ben laments. With the engine running, Rey turns around and hugs Ben close to her.   
“Your mother is a resourceful and talented fighter. I’m sure she’s okay.”  
Ben holds her closer. “You’re amazing, you know that?”  
Rey grins. Suddenly, an alarm goes off. Rey looks up.  
“We’ve reached Leia’s ship!” Rey declares. “But they’re shooting at us!”  
“They don’t know you took Hux’s ship! They think we’re the enemy!” Ben tells her. The ship begins to shake, and the lights flicker. Rey rushes to the nearest window. She tries waving to anyone aboard the ship, but the blinding light of each shot makes it impossible to see them. She begins to panic.  
“What do we do?” she asks Ben. His eyes dart about the ship, searching for answers. The ship is hit again – the windows crack.   
“We have to fight back,” says Ben. “If we weaken them enough they may run out of ammunition and we can finally try to communicate. It’s the only way.”  
Rey stares at him as the ship tilts and the lights go out. “Ben, are you sure there is no other way?”  
Suddenly, a hunk of debris comes flying through a hole in the window. It slams against Ben’s head, knocking him out. Rey screams as he falls to the ship floor. She’s all on her own now.


End file.
